Hipband pouch

ABSTRACT

A pouch for holding items is disclosed which has the appearance of a waistband. The pouch is formed as a tube of a stretchable material with a plurality of openings therein. Items may be inserted through the openings and positioned within the pouch. The pouch may be manipulated to position the openings at various positions around the body. The openings may also be positioned on the outside, inside, top or other part of the pouch. The pouch has a substantially constant width to better camouflage items placed therein. The openings may include closures to prevent items from falling out. The pouch may be formed of a single circle or include closures for placing it around the body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to wearable accessories for carrying oneor more items during physical activity. More particularly, it relates toa wearable pouch formed to create a smooth band worn about a portion ofthe body.

2. Discussion of Related Art

It is a common practice for individuals engaged in exercise activity andother sports to wear device/items holders in the form of arm bands orwristbands or athletic utility belts such as fanny packs. The packsallow the user to carry phones, music devices and/or other misc itemsduring the physical activity. However, many of these packs are often tooconspicuous or bulky, not stable against the body, not easy to accessitems, nor offer flexibility of item placement and access. Many women inthe gym do not like to wear anything that looks like a utility belt orfanny pack to hold only a few items even with the smallest versions oftoday's packs. Many will carry a few items to work out such asphone/music devices, locker key/cards by hand rather than wear thetypical waist pouch that looks like a fanny pack with separate pouch,belt and buckle. This invention is a waistband pouch belt that lookslike a waistband over your typical leotard or shorts. Previousdesigns/inventions even in the smallest form are a belt with a pouch insome form attached to it and are not the easiest or flexible method toaccess your items during activity. Various closures such zippers aredifficult to zip/unzip during activity. The present invention's onepouch construction throughout the belt also allows for your item toslide as desired horizontally to any placement around your waist foraccess. The typical pouches do not allow the convenience of many accessopenings throughout the waist. This invention uses slits throughout theband that allow sliding your items in and out easily during activity andfinding a slit is easy with many located throughout the band. Previouslythere is nothing that offers the ability to turn your belt around yourbody allowing you to place the openings in any position that suits yourneeds without changing the placement of a bulging pouch or buckle or tobe able to turn the pocket openings vertically on the belt by rotatingthe openings for a more secure hold when turning them to the beltbackside. Previously the hold is less stable because of the inconsistentmaterial or construction throughout the waistband, loose or bulgingpouches and varying widths of the belt and pouch created with or withoutthe items in the pouch. This invention offers more stability in holdbecause the whole band is the pocket and the wide width is close to thewidth of the phone/devices and small items. This keeps the items fromtwisting or flipping while the stretch material consistent throughoutthe band offers a tight hold.

Consequently, a need still exists for an innovation which will providean effective solution to the aforementioned problem in the prior artwithout introducing any new problems in place thereof.

U.S. Pat. No. US 2008/0190980 A1 to Overton shows a compact waist pouchpractical for activity and exercise. This pouch, however, is not thebest for gym use in that it is still a visible fanny pack with bucklesand expands into a pouch when items are placed in it. The hold is not assecure with the inconsistent design of a pouch sewn to a belt andaccessibility to your items during activity still requires unzipping thebag placed in one location.

U.S. Pat. No. D334,471 to Yerby, et al. shows a waist pouch practicalfor day-to-day use, and carrying multiple items. This pouch, however, isnot practical for the gym goer needing to hide his or her phone, one keyor credit card. It is also not practical for the exercise involved inrigorous activity, in that the pouch will jump around.

There are several waist pouch type designs on the market, such as U.S.Pat. No. 5,150,824 to Alvarez, et al. (Sep. 29,1992), but similar toU.S. Pat. No. D334,471, such packs/ pouches/bags are impractical forindividuals who are in need of a holder for just their key, or phone, ormoney, and for those who are involved in rigorous activity such asjogging or exercising. The excess material for various compartments alsoincreases the cost and time of production.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,835 to Payne (Oct. 29, 1991) discloses a belt typepersonal carrier apparatus for conveniently supporting a beveragecontainer and other belongings of a person about the person's waist.Though this belt provides the user with a carrying space attached to thepocket, it is designed to fit atop of the belt; therefore it will bouncewhen the user participates in vigorous activities such as jogging.Additionally if or when the water carrying devise is not used it willinterfere with the comfort of the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,975 to Libertucci (Oct. 11, 1994) is specificallydesigned as a Carrier For A Portable Stereo Unit. It has the capabilityto hold items such as an MP3 player and Internet access mobile phone,but as with U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,835 and U.S. Pat. No. D334,471 it isimpractical for individuals who are in need of a holder for just theirkey, or phone, or money, and for those who are involved in rigorousactivities such as jogging or exercising.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,205 to Kennedy (Jul. 8, 1997) shows a pouch,consisting of an enclosure, a re-sealable inner waterproof pouch, and adetachable strap to be fastened around the waist of the user. Users mayfind this useful when swimming where there is not such a need for a beltto stay snug to the body, but during out of the water rigorousactivities this belt is not practical. This pouch is not designed toremain taut against the body and will not withstand rigorous activitiessuch as jogging or exercising out of the water.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,636 to Angus et al. (Mar. 2, 2004) waist pouch. Thisis an example of a multi-pocket belt. This pouch is made with elasticthat expands on the user's body, however the multi-pocket belt alsocomes with a thick band and bulky buckles. A thicker belt promotessweat, and is not preferred by the runner or exercise enthusiasts whoprefer to keep their apparel to a minimum.

Other waist pack/pouches multi-compartment styles on the market can makeit difficult to access a single item while engaging in a rigorousactivity such as jogging or exercising. Multi-compartment belt pouchesdo not allow for quick access to items, and are confusing to the userwhen searching for a single item during an activity such as running.

Therefore, a need exists for a pouch which can accommodate differentitems during exercise, which allows easy access to the items, whichprevents items from interfering with exercise, and which does notdistract from the appearance and clothing of the wearer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes many of the deficiencies of the priorart by providing a pouch for holding items formed as a single structure.According to one aspect of the invention, the pouch is formed of astretchable material which can be worn around a portion of the body,such as the waist, hips, arm, wrist, torso, leg or ankle. Thestretchable nature of the material holds the pouch in place. Accordingto another aspect of the invention, the pouch is formed as a singlecircle of material. According to another aspect of the invention, thepouch includes a closure at the ends thereof for creating a circle.

According to another aspect of the invention, the pouch is formed as atube of material having openings therein. Items may be inserted throughthe openings and held in place within the tube of material. According toanother aspect of the invention, the openings are separated by closedportions of the tube. The closed portions hold items in place. Since thepouch is formed of stretchable material, items of various sizes may beinserted through the openings. The stretchable material holds itemssecurely within the tube of material. According to another aspect of theinvention, closures may be used to partially seal the openings.

According to another aspect of the invention, the pouch is ofsubstantially constant width throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a hipband pouch according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the hipband pouch according to the embodimentof FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates portion of the hipband pouch of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates the hipband pouch according to the embodiment of FIG.1 retaining objects therein.

FIG. 5 is a view of a hipband pouch according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is a stretchable pouch which can be worn forcarrying items. The pouch is formed as a circle to be worn about a partof the body. It is stretchable so that it will form tightly about thebody, remain in place and hold the items without movement. Preferably,the pouch is sized to fit around the wearer's hip or waist. The pouch ispreferably of substantially consistent width. In this manner, it mayappear as a part of the clothing, such as a waistband, worn by thewearer. Preferably, the pouch is worn about the hips and is, therefore,referred to as a hipband herein. Of course, the hipband may be wornabout the waist or any other part of the body. The invention is notlimited by the size of the hipband pouch nor where it is worn ordesigned to be worn.

In a preferred embodiment, the hipband pouch is constructed to wraparound the wearer's waist or hips as an ordinary waistband. The entirehipband functions as a carrying pouch for flexible placement of items.The hipband pouch is formed of a stretchable material so that items areheld in place by the elastic tension of the material. The hipband pouchincludes several openings or slits around the entire band. The multipleopenings allows easy and flexible access of items while securelyretaining the items contained therein.

Many prior art waist pouches show pouches as separate entities and/ormaterial from the belt which holds the pouch in place. The pouches havea pouch or pouches sewn to a belt. This results in pouches that havebulges at different locations along the belt and look like fanny packs.The present invention allows the tension of the waistband stretchmaterial to hold items in the pouch snuggly without creating an obviousbulge in an obvious pouch. When small objects are placed into the bandthey are neatly hidden in the thickness and width of the band. Theconsistent width all around is preferably the same width or wider as acell phone in horizontal placement. Other embodiments can be adaptedsuch as varying width to fit other wider or narrower objects.

An embodiment of the hipband pouch 1 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2which illustrate front and rear views of thereof. The hipband pouch ispreferably formed from a one piece, seamless,elastic/stretchable/expandable fabric or other material 10. The material10 is shaped to form a tube having an inner side 11 and outer side 12.The material 10 is preferably shaped as a rectangle so that the hipband10 has substantially constant width. A plurality of openings or slits31, 32, 33, 34 are formed around the outer side 12 of the hipband 1.Between the openings 31, 32, 33, 34 are a plurality of sealed portions21, 22, 23, 24, 25. The openings 31, 32, 33, 34 allow items to beinserted therethrough into the interior of the tube of material. Thesealed portions 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 help the hipband 1 to retain itsshape and provide elastic tension of the material 10 about the items tohold them in place.

FIG. 4 illustrates the placement of items 50, 51, 52 within the hipbandpouch 1. Any item may be placed in the hipband pouch 1. Items mayincluded locker or other keys, phone/music devices, credit cards,tissues, gum, etc. The hipband pouch is even and consistent in designall around allowing for flexible placement of the hipband on the bodybecause the appearance is consistent. It has the same width all aroundand is preferably the same width or wider as a cell phone in horizontalplacement. Of course, because the material is stretchable, the hipbandpouch 1 can accommodate items which may be somewhat larger than thewidth of the hipband pouch 1. The material flexes to allow placement ofthe larger items. The construction and design described herein allow thehipband pouch to hold multiple items throughout the belt whilemaintaining a look that blends with the wearer's other garments.

The hipband pouch 1 is formed as a circle sized to be worn on a part ofthe body of the wearer. The circle may be formed by a seam 40 at theends of the tube of material. Alternatively, the ends of the tube ofmaterial may be releasably attached together using any known methods.Such methods may includes connectors, clips, latches, buttons, hooks,hook and loop fasteners, zipper, etc. Alternatively, the material may beformed as a single circle of material without any seam. The hipbandpouch 1 of the present invention provides a pouch for holding itemswhich extends entirely around the waist, hip or other body part. Thehipband pouch 1 offers flexibility as to placement of items within thepouch. The multiple openings 31, 32, 33, 34 allow items to be insertedanywhere around the hipband pouch 1. Any number of openings 31, 32, 33,34 may be used. A single opening may be sufficient, but multipleopenings allow improved placement of materials. The tubular nature ofthe hipband pouch 1 allows items to be stored throughout the band evenin the backside and items can be moved horizontally within the belt tothe desired placement of the wearer. For example, a phone could beinserted in the front and slid from to the front or side.

The hipband pouch 1 may be formed of a stretchable material 10 in anydesired manner. It may be formed of a single piece of material ormultiple pieces of material which are attached together. An embodimentfor forming a hipband pouch is illustrated in FIG. 3. The material 10 isstitched in a cylindrical or tubular manner leaving openings/slits 31,32 between sewn portions 21, 22 of the waist seam. The pouch 10 may belined 15 with another fabric to create two plies. The material 10 ispreferably a flexible fabric material that will stretch around the waistand hips of the user for a snug fit. That is, with no items in thepouch, the pouch will fold like a headband. The material is preferablysoft and stretchy elastic/expandable fabric or other material that alsohas some surface friction so that the band does not slip from the hipplacement. The material can be a performance fabric or cotton Lycra,spandex, or other outdoor recreational fabric with stretch so as toblend with clothing articles.

The entire waistband pouch is preferably made from one piece ofgenerally rectangular fabric of med weight for structure with somefriction to hold the band in place as the outer shell. A good fabricweight and elasticity will allow for a balance of holding the waistbandstructure yet be pliable enough to fit nicely around the hips and waistwithout being too bulky. A lining may be used to give a smooth interiorfinish for ease of pulling the items in and out of the pouch.

A generally rectangular piece of fabric 10 can be stitched to the lining15 on the long edges then turned inside out. This single 2 ply rectanglecan then be folded over (so that the top edge is brought to the bottomedges) to enclose an internal volume. The sewing will leave openingsalong the brought together edges so they can act as the pouch openings.This tube is then wrapped where the ends are stitched together to finishthe circle hipband.

A hipband pouch design used in some preferred embodiments makes iteasier to provide/manufacture bands in various colors and patterns as insimple clothing accessories. This allows production to more easilyincorporate a variety of colors at lower cost to produce. A belt that isthe single pouch offers individuals with a variety of waistbandappearances (colors, designs, fabric types, etc.) at a relatively lowerproduction cost where prior-art pouches do not. The hipband can becomeas variable and the headband. The different colors and patterns can makethe user with the basic black legging appear to change outfit withdifferent waistband pouch changes.

In some embodiments, the lining or shell will be of water resistantmaterial for water activity such as boating or beach goers or activityin the rain.

A preferred embodiment will have a width of approximately 3″ tocomfortably enclose a cell phone placed horizontally in the belt. Insome embodiments, the waistband pouch will also have wider widths andelasticity, that is, the pouch will be able to be a tighter support toalso accentuate the waistline or control the extra belly appearance. Thehipband can act as a ‘control top’ as well as a pouch for small items.

In some embodiments, the fabric or other material used to form the bandwill be a grip fabric or have custom printed grip for non-slip stay onsmooth performance type fabric bottoms.

Embodiments of the present invention solve problems of inconsistentsupport tension and uneven weight of the belt in many prior art waistpouches. The hipband pouch 1 formed of a single material 10 offersconsistent support throughout where the ‘pouch’ portion will not behavedifferently from the belt such as flip/twist or difference in supportand tightness of hold. The use of one consistent material throughout thebelt allows the pouch to stretch which allows the pouch to remain snugagainst the wearer's body during use. The elasticity/material of thewaistband pouch and size/width of the pouch can be varied depending onthe intended use, such as the size of the items that are to be containedwithin the pouch and the intended activity of the wearer such as in thegym or casual day wear.

Several objects and advantages provided by various embodiments of theinvention include: to provide a utility belt that is created from asingle pocket pouch which can be economically and easily produced; toprovide a carrying belt apparatus that is inconspicuous and is not apouch attached to a belt so it does not look like or flop around like afanny pack; to provide a simple waistband belt that items are easilyassessable during working out by having many openings to the one pouchand items can be placed anywhere along the band and the openings can beplaced anywhere that is comfortable to the user to access items orsecure items, to provide a belt that is water-friendly and washable as afashion accessory; and to provide a comfortable and secure alternativeto holding items in a pocket or purse when workout at the gym or fordaily use that looks like a waistband and hides items neatly inside.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the openings 31, 32, 33, 34 extendalong the length of the hipband 1. Alternatively, openings could beformed which are vertical and extend perpendicular to the hipband 1.With vertical openings added opening restrictions, such as hook and loopfasteners, snaps, buttons, or zippers may be used to retain items withinthe pouch. Alternatively, a simple smaller opening than the width of thehipband 1 with notch stitch on either end of the slit will keep items inthe hipband during horizontal position activities

Preferably, the openings have a clean finished face side of a seam(where the shell and lining where stitched together and turned insideout creating a tube with the seam allowance hidden). The stitchpreferred is an over-lock stitch that allows the fabric to stretcharound the opening. The opening measurements are approximately 3″ tocomfortably slip a phone/device through or stretch for a bigger object.The stitched portion from opening to opening is approximately 2″-5″ withthe longer stitched closure wide enough to cover the entire phone/deviceunder the closure/seam. The placements of the openings and length of theclosures are preferably evenly distributed with 2 openings in the frontand 2 in the back. However, these can change depending on intendedobjects and use such as phone, tissue, key, gum for the gym or smallwallet, granola/power bar, suntan lotion for a hike or walk.

In some embodiments, the openings 31, 32, 33, 34 of the hipband 1 mayhave a fastener such as a snap, button, hook and loop fastener, zipper,fabric roll or other closure to enclose the openings for added securityand fashion.

The hipband is preferably worn on the waist or hips with non-smoothstretch material. The stretch will be equivalent to waistbands found inwomen's activewear hence a need for sizes will be necessary. The sizeswill be similar to the activewear bottoms, such as S, M, L. Each sizewill be cut in similar grading lengths as activewear bottoms waistbandsizes.

Alternatively, the pouch may be sized to fit on different body part,such as the arm, torso, wrist, ankle, or leg. A variety of pouch sizesmay be used for different purposes.

In the previous embodiments, the hipband 1 is formed with openings onthe outer side 12. Because the hipband 1 is formed as a tube, theopenings can be placed in different positions to allow for differentlooks, uses, and security. FIG. 5 shows turning the hipband 1 insideout, so that the openings 31, 32 face the wearer's body. When wornagainst the body the items are secure as the openings are fully sealedby the wearer's body. The openings can also be turned upward for easyaccess of items.

In disclosed embodiments, the hipband 1 functions as a visible garmentworn outside other clothing. The hipband 1 has a smooth look adding tothe fashion and appearance of garments. Alternatively, the hipband 1 maybe worn under other clothing. Since the hipband 1 holds items tightlyand provides a smooth look, the hipband 1 may be used under otherclothing without creating visible bulges. The hipband 1 may be used toas a security belt.

The scope of the present application is not intended to be limited tothe particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture,composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in thespecification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyappreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes,machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps,presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantiallythe same function or achieve substantially the same result as thecorresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according tothe present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended toinclude within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

1. A wearable apparatus for storing items, comprising: a tubular body ofa stretchable material, having an interior and an exterior, the tubularbody being formable into a circle; a plurality of spaced apart openingsin the tubular body extending along a single circumferential linethereof to allow access to the interior of the tubular body; and aplurality of spaced apart sealed portions in the tubular body positionedbetween two of the plurality of spaced apart openings.
 2. The wearableapparatus for storing items according to claim 1, wherein the tubularbody is formed as a single circle.
 3. The wearable apparatus for storingitems according to claim 1, wherein the tubular body includes a firstend and a second end, and the wearable apparatus further comprising: atleast one closure positioned at least one of the first end and thesecond end of the tubular body, the at least one closure connecting thefirst end and the second end of the tubular body to form a circle. 4.The wearable apparatus for storing items according to claim 3, whereinthe at least one closure includes at least one of a snap, a hook andloop closure, a zipper and a button.
 5. The wearable apparatus forstoring items according to claim 3, wherein the at least one closureincludes a first clip attached to the first end of the wearable body anda clip attached to the second end of the wearable body, the first clipand second clip being connectible to form the tubular body into acircle.
 6. The wearable apparatus for storing items according to claim1, wherein the plurality of openings are extending along acircumferential line on an outside of the circle formed by the tubularbody.
 7. The wearable apparatus for storing items according to claim 1,wherein the plurality of openings are extending along a circumferentialline on an inside of the circle formed by the tubular body.
 8. Thewearable apparatus for storing items according to claim 1, wherein theplurality of openings are extending along a circumferential line on anedge of the circle formed by the tubular body.
 9. The wearable apparatusfor storing items according to claim 1, wherein at least one of theplurality of openings includes: a closure for retaining opposing sidesof the at least one of the plurality of openings.
 10. The wearableapparatus for storing items according to claim 9, wherein the closureincludes at least one of a snap, a button, a zipper, and a hook and loopa hook and loop closure.
 11. The wearable apparatus for storing itemsaccording to claim 1, wherein the circle formable by the tubular body isof a dimension to resiliently fit around a portion of a wearer's body.12. The wearable apparatus for storing items according to claim 11,wherein the portion of the wearer's body includes one of a waist, hips,arm, and leg.
 13. The wearable apparatus for storing items according toclaim 1, wherein the tubular body has a substantially constant width.